LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Oscar-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson got engaged to boyfriend and I Love New York 2 contestant David "Punk" Otunga on September 12, which was also her 27th birthday.
The two have been dating for less than a year, and according to Hudson's publicist, a wedding date has not been set.
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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The mother and brother of Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson have been found shot to death inside their Chicago area home, according to various media reports.
The Cook County medical examiner's office says officials were dispatched Friday afternoon to a South Side home where the bodies of a man and a woman were found.
The Chicago Tribune, quoting police, said the killings may be linked to a domestic disturbance.
Police have yet to confrim the reports that Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson, and brother had been killed, however several other sources say family members have confirmed the victim's identities.
Hudson won an Academy Award for her role in "Dream Girls."
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The body of a young boy, believed to be Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson's 7-year-old nephew has been found, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.
Media reports indicate the boy's body was found inside a vehicle that belonged to Hudson's slain brother, Jason. It is the same vehicle that was the subject of a nation-wide Amber-alert on Friday.
Hudson's nephew, Julian King, has been missing since the actress' mother, Darnell Donerson and Jason Hudson were found shot to death in their Chicago area home.
William Balfour, who had a relationship with Hudson's sister Julia, has reportedly been arrested in connection with the shootings. Balfour's mother told Chicago media that he and Julia had broken-up, but that he had nothing to do with the killings.
On Sunday, Hudson used her official MySpace Blog to express her gratitude for the public's outpouring of support.
"Thank you all for your prayers and your calls. Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely," the blog entry said. "If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately ... Once again thank you all for being there for us through this tough time."
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - After the brutal murder of her mother, brother, and nephew, Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson has gone into hiding, now worried about her own safety, according to Extra.
According to the site's report, Hudson is surrounding herself with bodyguards and is staying in an undisclosed hotel.
The killings seem to be the result of a domestic dispute between Hudson's sister and her brother-in-law, William Balfour, who served time for attempted murder. In fact, Balfour missed his parole meeting last Friday, the same day Hudson's mother and sister were shot. A neighbor of the couple said he witnessed the couple fighting and heard a man making death threats during those altercations.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune is reporting that there may have been more than one person involved in the murders.
The paper says investigators have fingered Balfour, obviously, but that investigators are trying to determine whether another person drove Balfour to his girlfriend's house just after the murders. Security camera video of a local high school parking lot may help identify another driver of Balfour's car at the same time cell phone records place Balfour in another location.
For now, Balfour is being held on a parole violation and is being questioned regarding the murders.
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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A friend of Jennifer Hudson claims they tried to warn the Academy Award winner's family about William Balfour, a "person of interest" in the shooting death's of Hudson's mother, brother and nephew, US Magazine reports.
Balfour is divorced from Hudson's sister Julia, reportedly got into an argument with the family one month ago a neighbor tells the magazine.
"Flex tried to start a fist fight with Jason, and James beat up Flex," the neighbor adds.
Shortly after, Flex began to threaten the family, saying "he would kill Julia and mess up everyone in the house," the source tells Us.
Many people in the neighborhood were aware the couple had "been having problems, but I never expected anything like this," neighbor Angela Russell admits to Us.
Balfour's mother insists her son "had nothing to do with" the shootings.
Balfour is currently being held on violation of parole stemming from an attempted murder conviction in 1999. The AP reports that he was arrested on June 19 for possession of crack cocaine, but his parole was not revoked after the arrest.
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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A public memorial service is being planned to celebrate the lives of the slain members of Jennifer Hudson's family, ETonline reports.
Members of the neighborhood and public are invited to attend the service that will be held this Sunday, November 2.
Jennifer and her sister Julia will not attend the service for their mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, their brother Jason Hudson, and Julia's son Julian King, but other members of the family will be there.
The service will be a chance for the neighborhood to come together to grieve the lost members of their community, and speakers will talk about the lives of all three victims.
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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jennifer Hudson, along with celebrity friends, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah, Fantasia Barrino and Missy Elliot gathered in Chicago for a private memorial service for the Academy Award winning actress' slain mother, brother and nephew.
The service was attended by about 200 people at the Apostolic Church of God on Chicago's south side.
Hudson's fellow American Idol alumni, Fantasia Barrino reportedly brought many mourners to tears when she sang "Your Grace and Mercy," while holding Hudson's hand.
The Chicago Tribune reports, Hudson took time to quietly say goodbye to each of her relatives during the service. She kneeled in front of each of the three caskets, and leaned over to kiss her mother's.
A horse-drawn carriage led the funeral procession following the service to Oak Woods Cemetery, where Hudson's family will be buried.
Darnell Donerson, Hudson's mother, her brother Jason and nephew Julian King were all shot to death last week.
The investigation into the killings is on-going. While no arrests have yet been made, William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, is in custody and police have called him "a person of interest."
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Chicago police say they have arrested William Balfour for the murders of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.
Balfour, 27, has been in custody on a parole violation and was transferred to Chicago police custody after police served a warrant for his arrest Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
At a hearing last month, investigators revealed Balfour owned a gun matching the weapon used in the Oct. 24 slayings of Hudson's family members
Balfour is the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The estranged brother-in-law of Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson was charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three of the singer's family members.
Prosecutors presented formal charges against William Balfour in the deaths of Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew, said Tandra Simonton, spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.
Balfour had been held on a parole violation since the bodies of Hudson's mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered in their home Oct. 24.
The body of young Julian King, Balfour's stepson, was found in the back of an SUV three days later.
Balfour's attorney said that he talked to his client Tuesday morning and that he reiterated his innocence.
"It is scary as hell; he's charged with terrible crimes that he adamantly contends he's not guilty of," attorney Joshua Kutnick said on Tuesday.
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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jennifer Hudson is set to return to work for the first time since the murder of three of her family members, according to Access Hollywood.
Theola Borden, a spokeswoman for label J Records, says the singer will begin filming a video in Los Angeles next week for her next single, “If It Isn’t Love.â€
Hudson was scheduled to start work on the video shortly before her mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered shot to death in their Chicago home on the city’s South Side on Oct. 24. The body of her nephew, 7-year-old Julian King, was found three days later.
Hudson’s estranged brother-in-law, William Balfour, has been charged with the murders.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - For the first time since three members of her family were murdered, Jennifer Hudson will return to the stage when she sings the national anthem at the Super Bowl.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed Wednesday that Hudson will sing the star spangled banner at the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 1. E! News first reported Tuesday that Hudson would perform.
The Oscar winner has not performed in public since her mother, brother and nephew were killed. Hudson's estranged brother-in-law is charged with the killings.
Hudson, who had released her self-titled debut album shortly before the killings, is also scheduled to sing at the Grammys' MusiCares event in Los Angeles a few days later. She is nominated for four awards at the Feb. 8 Grammy Awards.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The man accused of killing three members of Jennifer Hudson's family has entered a plea of not guilty.
William Balfour is charged with first-degree murder and home invasion. Balfour is the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia.
Hudson's mother brother and nephew were murdered in October.
Balfour is being held without bail.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Chris Brown and Rihanna were no-shows at the NAACP Image Awards last night in Los Angeles.
Rihanna was nominated as outstanding female artist. That award went to Beyonce.
Brown was nominated for outstanding male artist once again after taking home the award last year. Jaime Fox was given the award this year.
Jennifer Hudson was the night's big winner, garnering awards for best new artist, album of the year and best duo.
The 40th Annual NAACP were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A spokesperson for Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is denying published reports the actress is pregnant.
Essence magazine cited two sources close to Hudson as saying Hudson and her fiance David Otunga were expecting a child.
"The is no no no no way" Hudson is pregnant, her spokesperson said in a statement to the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jennifer Hudson's friends threw her a baby shower this weekend in Chicago to celebrate the upcoming birth of the Oscar winner's first child.
Her manager had previously denied the former "American Idol" contestant was expecting.
"They're really trying to keep it kind of quiet," actress Felicia Fields told the Chicago Tribune.
Hudson, 27, is engaged to reality TV star David Otunga.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (X17online) - Jennifer Hudson has announced that she will be the new spokesperson for Weight Watchers.
The 28-year-old Oscar-winning actress and singer had this to say about keeping the weight off:
Hudson, who has a 7-month old son, says she will be following her new Weight Watchers program on an iPhone app that the company has created to track points.
Numerous celebrities have represented Weight Watchers in the past including Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Lynn Redgrave and Jenny McCarthy.
TORONTO, Ontario (X17online) - Nicole Kidman, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, and Jennifer Hudson will premiere their works at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, festival organizers announced Tuesday.
The extensive list of world premieres at TIFF now includes Joel Schumacher’s Trespass, which stars Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage as a married couple that is held for ransom.
Gary McKendry’s Killer Elite, based on Sir Ranulph Fiennes' novel, features Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, and Jason Statham in an action-packed assassin storyline.
Darrell J. Roodt’s much-anticipated Winnie stars Jennifer Hudson as Winnie Mandela, the wife of Nelson Mandela.
An additional 15 special presentations and 8 galas have joined the TIFF lineup, as well.
The 2011 Toronto Film Festival will run from September 8-18.
LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The Black Eyed Peas and Jennifer Hudson are the newest additions to the superstar lineup slated for the Michael Forever tribute concert in Wales.
The event, presented by Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson and hosted by Jamie Foxx, will be held on October 8. The bill already features Smokey Robinson, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Ne-Yo, Leona Lewis, Craig David, Alien Ant Farm, Alexandra Burke and Pixie Lott. Beyoncé will also make an appearance through a pre-taped satellite.
Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am said in a statement:
The show has not been approved by Jackson's estate and only a few of his siblings have approved the show along with Katherine.
LOS ANGELES, California (x17online) - Jennifer Hudson experienced an emotional episode when she took the stand in the murder trial of William Balfour on Monday.
Hudson was the first witness called to the stand after opening statements and the Oscar winner fought back tears when she recounted moments with her family before the killings and her dislike for Balfour.
"None of us wanted her to marry him," Hudson said of her sister's marriage to defendant William Balfour, with her voice cracking. "We did not like how he treated her... I tried to keep my distance from William."
Hudson admitted that she learned of the killings from her sister Julia Hudson and headed back to Chicago to identify the bodies of her mother, brother and her 7-year-old nephew Julian a few days later.
Julia Hudson's testimony followed, where she recalled the first of many alleged threats Balfour made.
"He said, 'If you leave me, you will be the last to die. I'll kill your family first," she said with her voice quivering. She also said that he used precisely the same words several other times in the months before the triple homicide.
Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008 slayings.
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